Post.



M. P. MAXWELL.

POST.

APPLICATION FILED our. 20, 1911.

Pammbed Wt. 22, 1912.

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Specification o1 letteralatentf Application filed October 20, 1911. Serial No. 655,728. I

Patented Oct. 22, 191 2;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL P. MAX- W'ELL, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Posts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to posts and particularly to guy-posts the ob ect of m mvention being to provide an improved evlce of this character provided with extendible holding anchors, means for locki them in extended position after the insertion of the post and means for withdrawing the anchors when it is desired to remove the post.

In the accompanying drawing which shows an illustrative embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of my post with anchors extended and locked in position; 2 is a vertical section therethrough; Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of the anchor block-and parts at right angles to each other; Fig. 5 is a plan of the block; and Fig. 6 is an elevation of a driving'anvil.

The post illustrated comprises a driving point 10, preferably solid, fitted in the lower end of the tubular body 11 of the post. The upper surface of the driving point is raised centrally to present downward guide in clines 12 which face openings 13 on the op posite sides of the post body and serve to spread and guide out therethrough the anchor arms 14. The lower edges of the inclines 12 should register with or lie slightly above the lower edge of the openings 13 so that as the arms 14 are spread through the openings 13, they may not catch upon the lower edge of the latter.

Slidably mounted within the post and carrying the anchor arms 14, I provide an anchor block 15. The lowerface of this block is transversely slot-ted to receive the inner ends of the anchor arms 14; which are pivoted freely on the transverse pin 16. Vertical slots 17 on the opposite sides of this block engage inwardly projecting guide ribs 18 on the post and the anchor arms 14 are thus accurately positioned with reference to the apertures 13 through which they must ass.

To insure the greatest possible grip of the I anchor arms upon the soil into which they are driven, I make their outer ends horizontal, while their inner pivoting ends are sub stantially vertical. This is readily accomphshed by the use of heavysheet metal therefor, which .ma be twisted to the desired shape This s ape has the further advantage of facilitating the entrance of the anchor arms into. the soil, since the twisted surface tends to force to one side small rocks, etc, instead of merely driv' dead against them as is the case with stralght or merely curved anchor arms. After the arms have been extended. to anchoring position, I provide means for locking them in this posltion. This is accomplished in the example illustrated, by flattening the edges of the arms at 19. A flat lock plate 20 lying in the recess 21 in the anchor block 15, is forced down upon these fiat turned portions 19 of the arms by the rod 22 which is screwed down upon the lock plate through the threaded hole 23 in the upper portion of the block. Obviously any tendency of the arms to turn on the pivot 16 is now prevented by lock plate 20 which is held firmly agalnst the flattened faces 19 of the arms, by the rod 22. Additional utility is imparted to the locking rod 22 by providing it wlth an eye 24 at its upper end by which a guy-rope may be readily secured thereto. The strain of the guy-rope is thus transmitted directly to the anchor. This rod has still further utility in case it is desired to remove the post, since upon partially unscrewing the same, its lower end is lifted out of engagement with the lock plate 20 so that the latter is now free to rise, the anchor arms 14 are therefore free to turn upon the pivot pin 16, and a suflicient pull upon the rod 22 lifts the anchor block 15 thus retracting the anchor arms 14:, whereupon the post may be removed with relative ease.

It will of course be understood that the post is first driven into the ground without the anchor block. For this purpose a driving rod 25 with head 26 may be employed. The stem of the rod fits within the post while the head overlies the upper end thereof and protects it from injury by the driving implement. After the post has been inserted, the anchor block is dropped in and the driving rod again inserted, now bearing at its lower end against the anchor block. After the latter has been driven down, spreading -the anchor arms i and forcing them into the surrounding soil, the driving rod is again withhave been brought to the proper position for locking. 7

Obvious y the structure shown is but illustrative of my invention and may be vari;

ously modified while still accomplishing the.

same results. p

I claim as my invention 1. In an anchor post, a slidable anchor block, anchor arms pivoted thereto, means for spreading said arms in anchoring position on the downward travel ofsaid block, and means for locking said arms in spread position, said means comprising flattened surfaces on said arms lying in substantially the same plane when said arms are in anchoring position, and a locking member bearing against surfaces and serving to hold said arms against pivoting in said anchor block.

2. In .an anchor post, a slidable anchor block, anchor arms pivoted thereto, means for spreading said arms into anchoring position n the downward travel of said block and means for locking said arms in spread position, said means comprising flattened surfaces lying in substantially the same plane when said arms are in anchoringposition, a displaceable locking plate adapted to be pressed against said surfaces and a screw rod passing through the anchor block and bearing against said lock plate to press the same into locking engagement with said -fiat surfaces on said anchor arms, substantially as described.

3. In an anchor post, an anchor block, anchor arms pivoted thereto, a-guy rod detachably. engaging said block and means, in

in anchored position and means 1n connection with said'rod for locking said arms in spread position. I

6. In an anchor post, an internal slidable anchor block, anchor. arms pivoted thereto and spread in anchoring position, in-combination with a rod attachable to said block in anchored position, and means in connection, with said rod for locking said arms in spread position, together with an engaging connection between said block and rod op erative in they unlocked position of said anchor arms whereb" said rod 'maybe employed to retract saidan'chor arms and thus facilitate the removal of the-post.-

7. In an anchor post, an internal slidable anchor block, anchor arms pivoted thereto and spread in 'anchoring position, a guy rod having a screw connection with said block, said guy rod whenscrewed fully home, serving to lock said anchor arms in spread position.

8. In an anchor post, an anchor block with longitudinal screw' hole and a dished surface surrounding the same, anchor arms pivoted to said anchor block,'and a guy rod with threaded end adapted to be screwed into said anchor block after the latter has been driven into anchoring position,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two'subscribing witnesses.

MARSHALL P. MAXWELL. 'Witnesses:

M. H. SCHNEIDER, L. L. SHAY. 

